How far-reaching is technology addiction awareness? In doing a quick Google search on this term, I found a site that provides the startling statistic that young people spend an average of 7.5 hours a day consuming media. This doesn’t include computer use for schoolwork, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
This site is offering a $1,000 Technology Addiction Awareness Scholarship. The applicants need to apply by writing a 140 character message about technology addiction. The 10 finalists will need to write a 500 to 1000 word essay about the topic.
Does anyone else besides me find it funny that a 140 character message is the length of a tweet? You can apply for money about addiction awareness by using a framework that should be familiar to people using technology.
Impact of Technology Addiction Awareness in Young People
My podcast guest John Kriger commented that businesses are having a very difficult time hiring young people out of college who can think creatively, who can stay with a problem from an extended period of time because they don’t have the frustration tolerance.
Also, they very often have a difficult time working in groups because of the fact they’re used to working virtually. When you come into a meeting and actually have to interact with folks, read what’s going on with other people and communicate effectively in face-to-face communication, they have difficulty.
Millennials View Baby Boomers
Recently I spoke with a 17-year-old boy about his view of the job market. He commented that many Millennials find it hard to get jobs, which they perceive are under the control of Baby Boomers. Angry at those who could hire them, they think Baby Boomers had it easier when they got out of college. Supposedly jobs were more plentiful then. Of course, there are issues in accepting these sweeping generalizations.
But I wonder if part of the issue is the different values and work styles of Millennials. When I asked this young man where he wanted to live after college, he said, “New York City”. I told him he needed to have a VERY good job to be able to afford to live in New York.
Although he is highly intelligent, he is spending too much time writing code for a game instead of doing his school work. And his grades reflect it. I don’t think he has any awareness of how his commitment to technology is hurting him right now, although his parents are trying to help him reorder his priorities.
When I listen to him, I am glad I grew up during a time when children learned to read books, to write cursive, to talk to others, to concentrate and to be creative. We made up games. We played in the woods. We did not have devices, cell phones, or computers.
I’m glad there are people like John talking about technology addiction awareness, helping parents and teachers grapple with the effects of these issues. Overall, I am happy being a baby boomer. I want to have technology, but I don’t want to let it control me.
Get John Kriger’s insights about the pervasive problem of technology addiction by listening to his podcast, Destructive Technology Addiction, at this link.